JPH0459753B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an under-carpet cable connector assembly.

A connector assembly for mounting on a floor surface and connecting electrical socket receptacles with corresponding conductors of a flat flexible undercarpet cable extending along the floor surface is provided within an insulated terminal block. The socket receptacle is arranged so as to receive the cable connecting terminal(s), the conductor connecting the cable connecting terminal with the conductive part of the socket receptacle, and the electrical plug of the type provided in the electrical cord of a household appliance or office machine. The base includes a base and a cover that constitute a composite housing. The requirements for this connector assembly are to use a minimum number of parts and a design that facilitates assembly with the under-carpet cable.

It is desirable that the terminal block be able to be assembled to the cable without the need to disconnect the conductors or strip the cable insulation. Additionally, the connector assembly is required to have a robust structure that can withstand collisions from foot traffic and furniture on the floor.
A compact configuration of the connector assembly is desirable to reduce the possibility of collisions. Also, I would like a protective cover for the socket.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,688 discloses a connector assembly for use with flat flexible undercarpet cables in which the socket receptacle is incorporated into an insulative receptacle body separate from the terminal block that is assembled to the cable. wires are required to bridge between these socket receptacles and remote terminal blocks. One end of the wire is wrapped around the shaft of a locking screw that is tightened to the electrical terminal of the terminal block, and the other end is wrapped around the shaft of a locking screw carried by the receptacle body and tightened to the conductive portion of each socket. These wires are transferred to a new position when the receptacle body is moved into position against a portion of the housing and secured by another locking screw. The disadvantage of locking screws is that they require a time-consuming tightening process and are susceptible to loosening under tension, especially when the wire is relocated. The socket body, which is separate from the terminal block, is difficult to combine with electric wires into a compact package.

The connector assembly of the present invention includes a substantially flat base member that is attached to a floor surface, and a terminal block that is arranged to sandwich a flat power cable on the base member and has at least one terminal receiving cavity that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface. and an electrical terminal inserted and held within the terminal housing cavity, the electrical terminal having an elastic contact portion extending to the top surface of the terminal block, and protruding from the bottom surface of the terminal block,
The terminal block is characterized in that it has a conductor connection portion formed with a cable entry lance that penetrates to the conductor of the flat power cable to make an electrical connection when the terminal block is fixed to the base member.

An advantage of the present invention is that the base portion of the housing, the cable, and the terminal block can be stacked compactly with a minimum of effort, and the clamping force applied by the base portion and the terminal block can easily assemble the two onto the cable and electrically. A good electrical connection is to be made with the corresponding cable conductor of the socket receptacle. Also, the receptacles do not require relocation during cover assembly, so electrical connections are not disturbed.

One feature of the present invention is that a raised land is formed on the base portion, the cable is clamped between the terminal block and the corresponding land, and the conductive fastener carried on the terminal block passes through the corresponding conductor. The fasteners carried by the cover are fixed to the corresponding lands.

Another feature of the present invention is that the raised land provides an escape space for the tip of a fastener that is inserted from the top surface of the land, crosses the thickness of the land, and projects onto the bottom surface of the land. The raised lands are advantageous in gripping the cable as it is clamped onto the intrusive electrical terminal.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is attached to the flat flexible undercarpet cable 2 shown in FIG. An electrical connector assembly 1 is shown. The cable 2 comprises three parallel, spaced apart longitudinally flexible conductors 3, 4, 5 surrounded by an insulating sheath 6 of plastic material. A commercial office is electrically wired by a network of cables 2 running over its floor. The cable is protected from damage caused by irregularities in the floor by overlapping a shielding layer 7 in the form of a flexible plastic ribbon placed on the office floor. The cable 2 is also covered with a ribbon-shaped metal shield layer 8 to protect it from foot traffic and furniture. Carpet is laid out to cover the office floor. The network of cable 2 is protected by shielding layers 7, 8 and hidden under the carpet.

FIG. 3 shows details of the components of the connector assembly 1. The flat metal plate 10 forming the base of the composite housing is stamped.
It has elongated raised lands 11, 12, 13. A pair of spaced apart tabs 1 extend from one side edge of the plate 10.
4 and 14 are bent from the plane of the protruding plate 10. A similar pair of tabs 15, 15 are also provided on opposite side edges of the plate 10. Punched elongated holes 16, 16 are provided at both end edges of the plate 10, into which fasteners 17, 17 in the form of machine screws for fixing the plate 10 to the floor are inserted.
The buffer pad 18 of insulating material is, for example, the land 11,1.
2 and 13.

3 and 5 show a terminal block 19 constructed to cover lands 11, 12, and 13. Terminal block 19 is molded from insulating plastic and has locking means in the form of protruding feet 20A, 21A that fit into holes 20B, 21B in raised lands 11, 13, respectively. Feet 20A, 21A lock the terminal block to prevent relative movement of the block with respect to lands 11,13. Through hole 22 of this block,
23 carries fasteners 22A, 22A in the form of machine screws which are fixed in holes 22B, 23B of raised land 12. The block 19 is provided with three terminal receiving cavities 24, 25, 26 communicating from its first surface 27 to a second surface 28 having protruding feet 20A, 21A.

FIG. 4 shows electrical terminals 24A, 25A, 26A stamped and formed from individual pieces of metal strip.
These terminals are connected to cavities 24, 25, and 25, respectively.
26. terminal 24
A, 26A are each pair of opposing spring fingers 24;
C, 24C, 24C, 24C, 26C, 26C,
Between 26C and 26C, there is a spring electric socket 2.
4B, 24B, 26B, and 26B are the same. Auxiliary finger pieces 24D, 24
D, 26D, 26D are sockets 24B, 24B, 26
B, constitutes the side surface of 26B. Terminals 24A, 26
A also includes plate-shaped conductor termination connecting portions 24E and 26.
lances 24F, 24F, 26F, 26F with raised knife edges are provided thereon.

The terminals 25A each have a pair of opposing spring fingers 25.
It has electrical receptacles 25B, 25B defined therebetween by C, 25C, 25C, 25C. In addition, this terminal 25A is a flat conductor terminal connection portion 2.
5E, and has raised knife edged lances 25F, 25F. These terminals 24
A, 25A and 26A are incorporated into the respective cavities 24, 25 and 26 of the terminal block 19.
Socket parts 24B, 24B, 25B, 25B, 26
B, 26B are held within the cavities 24, 25, 26 and open on the first surface 27 side of the terminal block 19. The operation of these sockets is described in U.S. Patent No.
It is well known from the description in No. 3860739. As shown in FIG. 5, the conductor termination connections 24E, 25E, 26E come out from the cavities 24, 25, 26, are bent onto the second surface 28 of the terminal block 19, and are connected to the lances 24F, 24F, 25F, 25F. ,26F,26
F faces outward from second surface 28 of terminal block 19. 3 and 7 show a conductive fastener 29A in the form of a conductive machine screw carried in a hole 29 leading from first side 27 to second side 28 of block 19. FIGS. The conductive fastener 29A is connected to the hole 29B of the land 12.
It is configured to be fixed to. Conductive plate 2
9C is a lance 29D with a protruding knife edge,
29D and is attached to the recess 29E of the land 12. The lances 29D, 29D protrude from the opening 29F of the pad 18.

Figures 3 and 7 show a molded plastic face plate 3.
Indicates 0. The face plate 30 has a flange 31, and a protruding foot 32 molded onto the flange 31 is inserted into a hole 32A in the face 27 of the terminal block 19. The raised track 33 integrally molded with the flange 31 has electrical receptacles 24B, 24B, 2 so that an electrical plug of the type that is provided with the electrical cord of a home appliance or office machine can be inserted.
Two sets of profile holes 24G, 24G, 25G, 25 aligned with 5B, 25B, 26B, 26B
G, 26G, and 26G are provided. The cover plate is divided into two cover members 34A and 34B that are slidably mounted on the track 33.
Wire spring 35 (only one shown) connects terminal block 1
The holes 36A, 36 of the face plate 30 are respectively attached to the recesses 36, 36, 36, 36 of the first surface 27 of 9.
The cover member 34 passes through A, 36A, 36A.
A, 34B and biases both members in a direction in which they come into contact with each other. Profile holes 24H, 25H, 26H provided in each cover member 34A, 34B are
When the cover member is slid into position with respect to the face plate 30 along the track 33 against the wire spring 35, the profile holes 24G, 25G, 26G of the face plate 30
Consistent with The terminal block 19 has terminals 24A,
25A, 26A, face plate 30 and cover member 34
A and 34B are assembled.

3 and 8 show a cover 37 configured to cover the plate 10. FIG. Machine screw type fastener 38A
is inserted into the hole 38 of the cover 37, and the plate 10
It is configured to be fixed to the raised holed land 38B. The cover 37 has a cavity 39 for receiving the terminal block 19. A top wall 40 surrounding the cavity 39 is configured to be mounted flush with the flange 31 of the face plate 30 against the first surface 27 of the terminal block 19.

Other details of this assembly are shown in FIG.
The cable 2 and shields 7 and 8 are laid on the floor. The shield 8 is cut at right angles to its length to expose the cable 2. The plate 10 is assembled between the cable 2 and the shield 7 and fixed to the floor by fasteners 17. Long land 11,1
2 and 13 are below the conductors 3, 4, and 5, but these conductors are connected to the land 1 by an insulating pad 18.
It is separated from and buffered from 1, 12, and 13.

FIG. 7 shows the metal sheet, i.e., the end edge of the shield 8, bent from the plane of the remaining portion of the shield 8 and abutted against the tabs 14,15. The edges of the shield 8 are trimmed to the height of the tabs 14,15. The shield 8 (edges thereof) and the tabs 14, 15 are clamped and electrically connected to each other by U-shaped conductive spring clips 14A, 15A. Terminal block 19 sandwiches cable conductors 3, 4, 5 and overlaps lands 11, 12, 13. Fasteners 23A, 29
A, 22A are fixed to lands 11, 12, 13, and block 19 is attached to plate 10. The conductive fastener 29A is also inserted into the conductor 4 and the plate 29C at the same time, establishing a ground potential connection between the plates 10, 29C, the conductor 4, and the fastener 29A. Conductors 3, 4, 5 are connected to block 19 and lands 11, 1
It is clamped between 2 and 13. These conductors align with the raised edges of the lands and are gripped by the raised lands to prevent movement. The buffer pad 18 prevents the raised edges of the lands from penetrating the cable insulation layer 6.
Block 19 is lance 24F with knife edge,
24F, 25F, 25F, 26F, 26F are passed through the cable insulation layer 6 and the respective conductors 3, 4,
5 and electrically connect with these conductors. Next, a cover 37 shown in FIG. 8 is attached to the terminal block 19, face plate 30 and cover members 34A, 34.
B, the top wall 40 of the cover 37 becomes parallel to the flanges 31, 31 of the face plate 30. Cover members 34A, 34B are slidably supported on raised tracks 33 which are higher than flanges 31, 31 and top wall 40.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly for an under-carpet cable according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the under-carpet cable, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the three electrical terminals of the connector assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a terminal block incorporating the terminals of FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the plate of the connector assembly and the connector assembly. FIGS. 7 and 8 are partial perspective views of a flat flexible cable ready for connection. FIGS. 7 and 8 are partial perspective views showing the components being assembled to form the connector assembly of FIG. 1. 2... Flat power cable, 3, 4, 5... Conductor, 1
0... Base member, 24, 25, 26... Terminal accommodation cavity, 19... Terminal block, 24A, 25
A, 26A...Electric terminal, 24B, 24C, 25
B, 25C, 26B, 26C...Elastic contact portion, 24
E, 25E, 26E...Conductor contact part, 24F, 25
F, 26F...Cable entry lance.

[Claims]

1. A bent boot for a bent spark plug cable terminal, the boot being made of a resilient material and comprising a first portion having a first end and a second portion having a second end;
the first and second portions are at an angle of greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees with respect to each other and have a central hole for passing the bent spark plug cable terminal, and the first end is for receiving a spark plug; having a first hole continuous to the center hole,
said two ends have a second hole continuous with said central hole for receiving a spark plug cable mechanically and electrically connected to a spark plug cable terminal; a first external protrusion disposed in a predetermined position on the side substantially perpendicular to the axis of the central hole of the first portion of the bent boot for pushing the spark plug cable terminal onto the spark plug; The first with a pressing surface
a second external protrusion of the second portion of the bent boot, which is disposed substantially on the reaction side of the second portion of the bent boot;

Claims (1)

1. A connector assembly for an under-carpet cable, comprising a conductor connection portion in which a cable entry lance is formed for making an electrical connection.